Tethered ring games



June 28, 1960 G. H. ACKERMAN TETHERED RING GAMES Filed Oct. 14, 1957 'INVENTOR.

GEORGE H. ACKERMAN ATT'Y FIG.

United States Patent TETHERED RING GAlVIES George H. Ackerman, 75 Webster Woods, Webster Groves, Mo.

Filed Oct. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 690,051

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-99) This invention relates in general to amusement devices and, more particularly, to a tethered ring game.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a tethered ring game having a hook and a ring,

- which ring is swingable in the manner of a pendulum so provide a tethered ring game of the type stated which is simple and inexpensive to construct.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tethered ring game of the type stated which requires some degree of skill in playing and, therefore, enhances both interest and entertainment in the game.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tethered ring game constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tethered ring game.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a tethered ring game comprising a base 1, having nailed or otherwise secured thereon a flange plate 2, which, in turn, is integrally provided with an upstanding support rod 3. The rod 3 comprises a straight vertically extending shank 4 which terminates at its upper end 5 in a short convex arcuate section 6. Extending diametrally through the arcuate section 6, and preferably coplanar with the shank 4 and arcuate section 6, is a hook 7 having a shank 8 which projects forwardly and upwardly, and on one end the shank 8 is provided with a threaded portion 9 for receiving a nut 10 which snugly bears against the back side of arcuate section 6 and secures the hook 7 in place as shown in Fig. 1.

At its upper end 11, the arcuate section 6 terminates in a relatively long concave arcuate section 12, the free end of which terminates upwardly and forwardly of the hook 7 and is provided with a fixed eyelet 13. Swingably mounted in the eyelet 13 is a small upper ring 14 having a cord 15 secured to and depending therefrom, and tied to the lower end of the cord 15 is a lower ring 16.

In use, the player pulls the cord 15 and ring 16 away from the hook 7 to a starting position. The player then aims the ring 16 and thereafter releases it so as to cause the cord 15 and ring 16 to swing forwardly like a pendulum. If properly aimed, the ring 16 will swing upwardly past the hook 7 and drop downwardly thereon as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. If the ring 16 does not engage the hook 7, it may strike thereagainst or it will swing freely until brought to rest. In connection with the present invention, it should be noted that the length of the cord 15 is selected so that if the player properly aims the ring 16, it will engage the hook 7 in the manner described, while at the same time the cord 15 will remain relatively free of slack. Furthermore, since the hook 7 is mounted on the convex arcuate section 6 and projects forwardly therefrom, the ring 16, if not properly aimed, will swing upwardly past the hook 9 and above the convex arcuate section 6, but will not strike the concave arcuate section 12 in the region adjacent the section 6. Thus, by utilizing the two contiguous arcuate sections 6, 12 in the manner described, and by placing the hook 7 on the convex arcuate section 6, the ring 16 cannot be deflected by any portion of the rod 3 as it swings toward the hook 7.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the tethered ring game may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A tethered ring game comprising a base, a supporting rod mounted on said base having a vertical shank, a convex arcuate section integral with the upper end of said shank, a concave arcuate section contiguous and coplanar with said convex arcuate section and extending upwardly therefrom, said concave arcuate section terminating in a free end spaced upwardly from said convex arcuate section, a hook mounted through said convex arcuate section and having a shank projecting upwardly toward said free end, said hook lying in the plane of said arcuate sections and terminating in downwardly spaced relation to said free end, a ring swingably connected to said free end and being spaced therefrom a distance substantially the same as the distance from said hook to said free end and the convex section and a portion of the concave section adjacent said convex section being spaced from the free end of said concave portion a distance greater than the distance of said ring to said free end whereby said convex and concave sections will not obstruct the free swinging motion of said ring throughout an arch of at least degrees from the rest'position of said ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,398,511 Hanrath Nov. 29, 1921 1,578,142 Laskowski Mar. 23, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 51,819 Germany May 1, 1 890 

